Water detector



June 16, 1953 w. E. ,LAsKY ETAL 2,642,478

WATER DETECTOR Filed Dec. 29, 1949 2 sheets-sheet 1 VOLTAGE REGULATOR `lune 16, 1953 w. E.'| AsKY ETAL 2,642,478

v WATER DETECTOR Filed Dec. 29, 1949 2 sheets-sheet 2 .Eg .Ei 575 yPatented June 16, 1953 l The present 'IlVelOD'Te`12S 170' Bf'methodol apparatusbeingso designed and constructed that lvI determining Waterfcontent inMpetroleum-prod- M itv is economical to. insta11,.compact, andsirnpm ucts,such as crankcas'ei"oilsglubricating"oilsf'alld to operate. i1els;such asdie'sel.fuel"oi1,"'kerosene;iandiother jThe method-0f the present invention com- .relatively non-conductiveliquids. 5j .prises providing a sample of they petroleum prod- 1' InV addition, the" IlVeItOIl'"Dr0VdeS W11 '3219- fuct" tobe tested,` passing an electric current paratus fOr "'efcielltly .'Crry'lDg'Ollt' Wemmel through the sample, registering the current. ow method, A`"throughthe sample,;and using this ,current de- `1`Quality controlA Of lnkas'fhlblcatng" Oils, termination as ran* indication j of..1the relative andthe like'jwith respectv to'.their-water"content- 1Ogamount of water in the sample. In the appara- L is an extremely fimDOrtIll Consideration in" the tus" of the present invention, means are provided vf 'eiicient maintenance of modern internal -com for indicatjngldrectlyuthe usability Ofjhe oi1be `bustion' automotive, locomotive, marineand-'staingtested." In fad'dition, means are provided for "tOIlary EngleSfThe' IllFeSeIlCeUv 0f even' Small draining thei'oil quicklylfrom theitest apparatus Q amOUntsOf Water 'lllubfc'atng Oil SyStBmS"`fT` upon the completiongo a testsothat alarge quently results in costlyand sometimesirreparanumber 0i Sa'mpiesan be 1; es1,ed within a, very v ..wbleuiamage to the engine;necessitating; prosnort i-,ima l 'longedand expensive repairs.y As anindicjating means;v of the present inven- Most railroads have 'initiatedV some 'procedure tion, weiprefer to, use a, neon, orfotherJgaSf-lled .-for, periodically testnatm 'quality 0f diesel 20. tubein Series with the electrodes, sc that-byobcrankcase oils in.locom 'otive engines' in"^an at- Serving the relative intensity of illumination, of Villlp'i'f t0 aVOd the' DOSSbltY'O Operating elfl- 1.1thegtube,theobserver. can approximate the pergines 'with a lubricatingoil having. an abnormalcentagej of waterA content in thesample being ly'hlgh Water content.' In therwrmal DIQCedllr? 25 tested.'j It ,Wil1 be understood,- however,that for suchquality control, a sample' of the crankvari0us Otheimdicating means Sucns an amable delay is necessarily present in transmitting currentflo'w' through the circuit.

. the sample to thelaboratory andv in receiving ther 30 A furtherdescription of .the presentinvention re'sults' of the test made. 4The .most convenient will be made, in eonnetion with the ati-,ached method for: making, such quality tests wou1d. be 'sneets of dr a wings,. in Wnicn;

one'which could be uSedOI'l the SDOt atarlyleglll Figure 1 is a plan. view of 'therassembly of a Vil larfrstOpOfHlh IOCOmOVef-and" @lll be peltest ing,.device ofthe typedescribed inthe lpres- 1-formed in a matter of afew minutes so thatvva-v 35 ent invention Y ter leaks could be repaired and'oilchanges could Figure 2 is a wiring diagram of thefelectrical be made, if necessary, beforethel locomotive L circuit ofthe testing.device; yand l proceedsl Figure 3 is a cross-sectionalyiew-;With parts objectof the present IlVBIltOIlQlhelefOle, inelevation-vtanni substantially along ythe line is-to provide a method for determining the lrelw 4,0IIITIIL of, Figure 1,

ative amounts of Waterinpetroleumproducts, AS SnOWn On-i,ne drawings; such as crankcase, oils', diesel fuel-poils,A andthe Emiel-ence` numeyai |0,, den0tes` generally a `like, in.,anfeicient and rapidmanner. housingortheetestsequipment of .the present Another object. ofthe present invention is to inventiom:preierabiyinadef oflighpweight ma prnvide a method for testing qualityoffzpetrole-f 45 terial suon, as ,Wood or, sheet Imetal A- slanted ,um products'which may. be operatedl by. unskilled instrumentpanel H `formsthe mid-section of the help Without the necessity of usingcostlydabassemb1y,.and,. 1;neiinstrument, paneL carries oratory equipment. bullfs-eyelenses I2, I Land- I4, under Whicnindi- Afurtherfobject` of the present, invention is VA,.rcatingmlarnpg argdisposed..thepmpose of'whch y to provide an apparatus fOr Cal'ryig. lllillaltya 5).Will `be heiiinafter-more;fully.-describe;, tests.,on,1petroleum productsoflthe; typamen- A horizontahpanel |5 is-provided atithefront tioned'above i oi ,the housing4 Ill,includingSvi/toilesj |6 and: n Aiurther-object. ofithe. present. invention Ais to and areeptaeie. lvfor'vthefsamplei ofniifbeing provide an apparatus for.'testing.,thearelative untested. n @amount 0f wateliin-Suqhretrelum produ@tiri-illex 55 efrlingftarllaure 3, mis/inf;berseeniihat-rne 3 receptacle I8, which is preferably composed of a non-conducting plastic material, as for instance, a methylacrylate resin such as Lucite, has a bore I9 provided therein, which is tapered inwardly at its lower extremity to provide a restricted port 20. The outlet port should be located below the level of the liquid in the receptacle I8 to avoid the entrapment of air bubbles which could give rise to spurious readings. The bore I9 is in communication with a conduit 2| Which is connected to a vacuum pump or other source of vacuum (not shown). The bore of the receptacle I8 is normally closed by means of a ball 22 seated against the edge of the port 20, although other types of closure members may be used as well.

The receptacle I 8 is provided with a pair of threaded electrodes 23 and 24 which pass through threaded holes in the receptacle I8 and are held with their ends in opposed spaced relation Within the receptacle by means of their respective lock nuts 25 and 25. To regulate the gap between the ends of the electrodes 23 and'24, a pair of adjusting heads 2l and 28 "are provided on the outer exposed ends of the electrodes 23 and 24. The electrodes 23 and 24 are supplied with a source of highrvoltage, alternating current by means of a pair of conducting wires 29 and 39 which are energized from a high potential source.

As best seen in Figure 3, a pair of push-button switches I'and I1V are provided on either side of the receptacle I8 to complete' the switch panel. y

To provide quick-acting means for unseating the ball 22, and thus permit drainage of the oil sample contained within the receptacle I8 after.

the completion of a test, a plunger 3l, disposed within the conduit 2 I, and a solenoid 32`are provided. Upon energization of the solenoid, the plunger 3l is forced upwardly until its end contacts the ball 22 and unseats it. The unseating ofthe ball 22 permits the flow of oil contained in the receptacle I3 to the evacuated conduit 2I and aiords a means of quickly draining the oil sample from the receptacle I8 upon a completion of a test. Upon deenergization of the solenoid, the plunger 3l is returned to its normal position shown in Figure 3, and the ball 22 reseats itself. in the port 20 of the receptacle I8,

Considering next the Wiring diagram shown in Figure 2, it will be seen that a source of A.C. potential, represented by lines V33 and 34, is preferably rfed to a voltage regulator 35 to assure that a constant voltage is always impressed on the test apparatus. The primary 3I of a stepup transformer 36 is energized from this voltage regulator 35, by closing the switch I1 in series with the line 34. An indicator lamp 4I disposed under lens I4 is also energized upon energization of the primary 3l.

The secondary winding 38 of the transformer 36 supplies a high potential alternatingl current to the electrodes 23 and 24, which are immersed in the oil being tested in the receptacle I8. To detect the relative value of the'current flowing through the circuit, an indicating device, such as a neon tube 39 disposed under lens I3, is provided in series with the high potential lead.

By properly Calibrating the apparatus, the eX- tent of activation, if any, or the non-activation of the neon tube 39'can be made to serve as an indication of Whether or not the oil being tested is usable. As a specific example of the use of our apparatus, a secondary potential of 10,000 volts Was employed, with the electrodes 23 and 24 1/8 in diameter and spaced 11s" apart. A line voltage lof 110 volts was impressed upon the primary 31. Under these conditions, upon holding the switch I1 closed for 10 seconds, the test lamp 39 did not light up when the water content of the oil was less than 1/100 of 1% by weight. However,

when the Water content ranged from lfm() of 1% to 1% by Weight, the neon tube 39 over the l-second period was energized intermittently at varying intensities. vWhere a sample of oil containing more than 1% Water Was employed, continuous energization of the neon tube 39 resulted. y

Thus, after standardizing upon the spacing between the ends of the electrodes 23 and 24and the voltage derived from the secondary 38 of the transformer 36, the apparatus can be calibrated Vagainst standard samples of oil of known water content so that an experienced operator can determine with approximate accuracy the water content in an unknown sample of oil. Conveniently, the spacing of the electrodes 23 and 24 and/or the value of the impressed voltage may be adjusted while an oil sample having a water content barely exceedingl the maximum permissive Water content is in the receptacle I8, so that continuous energization of the neon bulb 39 will result under these conditions. Successive samples of oil may then be analyzed by merely observing whether or not these samples cause continuous energization under the same conditions.

As an aid in approximating the actual water content of any given. oil sample, where the content is less than 1% by weight, lan operator .will also soon be able to distinguish the varying amounts of .disturbance in the oil as evidenced by evolution of vapors, and in this way will be Y able` to give an approximation of the actual amount of water present. j

The circuit to the primary`31, controlled by switch I'I, is normally kept energizedv for a period of Yabout 10 seconds. After the test has been completed, and another test is to be run, the push-button switch I'I is released and switch I6 is closed. The closing of the switch I6 energizes the solenoid 32 as well as an indicator lamp 40 located under the lens I2. Energization of the solenoid moves the plunger 3l, previously Idescribed, into engagement With the ball 22, unseating the same, and permitting Withdrawal' of the oi1 sample'through the vacuum conduit 2|. This completes the cycle of operation, and a new oil sample may then 'be poured into the receptacle I8. If the previous sample' tested was found to be substantially contaminated with Water, it is desirable to Wash the interior of the receptacle I8 with dry oil or a solvent suchas alcohol to completely eliminate any traces of the water present. y

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that we have herein provided a simple and yet e'- cient method for quickly determining the relative amount of Water in a sample of petroleum oil. The apparatus which we have provi-ded to carry out this method is simple in construction, compact, portable, and easy to manipulate.

It will be understood that modiiications and variations may be eiected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

We claim as our invention: j

1. An apparatus for determining the relative amount of water in petroleum oil which comprises a receptacle for said oil, a pair of spaced electrodes within said receptacle arranged for immersion Within the oil being tested, means for electrically energizing said electrodes, indicating means for registering variations in current-flow between said electrodes, a conduit connected to electrodes within said receptacle arranged for'im- Y mersion Within the oil being tested, means for varying the gap between said electrodes, means for electrically energizing said electrodes, means for indicating current Ilow between said electrodes, a conduit connected to a source of vacuum extending from the base of said receptacle, a ball seated at the base of said receptacle, a plunger within said conduit for unseating said ball, and a solenoid for moving the plunger into engagement with said ball to unseat the same and draw oil from saidreceptacle into said conduit.

3. An apparatus for determining the relative amount of water in a relatively non-conductive uid which comprises a receptacle for said iiuid having a tapered bore forming a restricted port,

a ball seated in said port, a pair of spaced electrodes within said receptaclearranged for immersion Within the fluid Vbeing tested, means forV varying the gap between said electrodes, a source of high potential alternating Voltage energizing said electrodes, a neon lamp inseries with said electrodes for indicating current flow between` said electrodes, a conduit connected toa source 'of vacuum extending from said port, a plunger within said conduit for unseating said ball, and a solenoid disposed about said conduit for moving the plunger into engagement with said ball to unseat the same and draw fluid from said receptacle into said conduit.

WAYNE E. LASKY. RUSSELL W. SENIFF.

References Cited in the file of thisl patent UNITEDk STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,734,342 Perry 1 Nov. 5, 1929 1,774,319 Crockatt Aug. 26, 1930 1,913,436 Eckstein June 13, 1933 1,995,492 Andrus et a1. Mar. 26, 1935V 2,376,694 Hewlett May 22, 1945 

